An eye-opening report from TRAC, a data research project at Syracuse University, reveals that U.S. immigration courts hit an unprecedented peak in asylum denials in June 2026, with a staggering 94.1% of cases being turned down. The approval rate plummeted to a mere 5.5%.
Released on August 31, the report highlights a significant overhaul of the immigration system under the Trump administration.
In practical terms, only 771 individuals were granted asylum that month, less than a quarter of the number who received it just three years prior. Another 0.4% were denied asylum but granted other forms of immigration protection.
Decline Predates Trump Era
The downward trend in asylum approvals is not a recent phenomenon. According to TRAC, approval rates began to decline during the Biden administration, dropping from over 50% at the start of his term to 32% by the end. What changed under Trump, however, was the rapid pace of this decline: in just over a year and a half, the rate fell from 32% to 5.5%.
As noted in the report, "overall asylum grant rates have been steadily decreasing, reaching a historic low in 2026."
Judicial Restructuring: A Key Factor
A major factor in this dramatic shift is the radical transformation of the immigration judge corps. Records from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) show that 279 judges were either fired or resigned during fiscal years 2025-2026, equating to 38% of the 735 judges in office by the end of fiscal year 2024.
In contrast to the Biden era—where only an average of 5% of judges left annually—the Trump administration filled vacancies with 192 new judges and added 53 temporary ones, bringing the total to 743 active judges in fiscal year 2026. However, only 322 of them, or 43%, were in place before Trump's tenure.
Tougher Criteria Among Remaining Judges
The report also reveals that even judges who retained their positions became more stringent in their decisions. Among the 130 judges continuously active from fiscal years 2021 to 2026, three-quarters increased the proportion of cases they denied. TRAC specifies that this average increase was 33 percentage points, with a median rise of 28 points.
The report warns that denial rates are influenced not only by judges' philosophies but also by "the types of cases they handle, the detention status of asylum seekers, prevailing immigration policies, and other factors beyond individual judges' control."
More Cases Closed, But Worse Outcomes
Ironically, the total number of resolved cases also hit record levels. In March and June of 2026, over 14,000 cases were resolved each month. However, this surge in productivity led to more denials processed at a faster rate, not more approvals. A temporary decline in resolutions occurred between November and December 2025, when the figure dropped to 8,800 monthly due to mass judge dismissals.
Impact on Cuban Community
For the Cuban community in the U.S., these statistics are particularly alarming. In June 2026, 1,642 deportation orders were issued against Cubans, with approximately 42,000 Cubans facing deportation orders while remaining at large in the U.S.
The legal context has also tightened: in June 2026, the Supreme Court upheld a policy allowing border officials to turn away some applicants before they physically enter the country. Additionally, in July, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new rule to refer more cases directly to immigration courts, where denial rates are significantly higher.
TRAC regularly publishes individualized reports by judge, enabling comparisons of each magistrate's denial rates with their peers in the same court and nationally—a critical tool in a system where the outcome of an asylum request can largely depend on the assigned judge.
Asylum statistics in the U.S. are rapidly evolving, with each data point potentially affecting thousands of families. Stay informed by following all developments in our U.S. Immigration section.
Understanding U.S. Asylum Denial Trends
What are the recent asylum denial rates in the U.S.?
As of June 2026, the asylum denial rate in U.S. immigration courts reached 94.1%, with an approval rate falling to 5.5%.
How did the Trump administration impact asylum denial rates?
During the Trump administration, there was a rapid decline in approval rates, dropping from 32% to 5.5% in just over a year and a half.
What changes occurred in the immigration judge corps?
Between fiscal years 2025-2026, 279 judges were dismissed or resigned, prompting the Trump administration to hire 192 new judges and 53 temporary ones.